A Dream

I hope you had a wonderful weekend! I'm going to start off with the most random question but it came to mind this weekend and if you want to know why, you're going to have to ask me. Would you go to a dentist who had bad teeth? Or a dermatologist with bad skin?

Most of my day yesterday felt like a dream. I stumbled out of bed at 4:21am, 39 minutes before my alarm would awaken me to that Verizon whistling tune. You know the one. I was hoping a shower would wake me up but I can't even remember the shower at this point. I made my way through the deserted streets of Hoboken. A young shoeless woman in her bar wear sat in front of the bakery on a bench, but she was not waiting for a bus. Late night, I'm guessing. There weren't too many people waiting for the 5:30 PATH...me, a security guard on his way home from his shift, and a guy in spandex with his bicycle. When I exited the PATH station at 9th street, a woman in a skin tight sequined dress was being held up by two men with slick hair and accents. I continued to walk down 9th in silence. My torso, a gold spark in the early morn. Made a left down 5th and a right down 10th. Parents were waiting for my arrival. My shift had begun. Six hours, a cop knocking on a motor-home,and two Mario Batali sightings later, my shift was over.

A few things I'd like to mention. I can't tell you how many residents came over to complain about the street parking situation. "If only the NYPD knew about this, they wouldn't stand for it either." To which I would reply "Hey, I'll go get the two NYPD who are standing up by the dorm entrance for you, okay?" This would follow with silence. Don't test me when I'm moving in Freshmen.

One of the more interesting things about move-in day are the familial interactions. Seeing the way different families deal with this important day; the departure, the sadness, the joy, the fear, the questions, the dreams, the new friendships...all of these ingredients are stirred together. Some mothers cry, others jump for joy. And if I had some of the parents I saw today for my parents, I'd probably be jumping for joy too.

And so now, students are back. No more line-free lunches, hello teachers' dirty looks.

Who said being a reporter was easy? Check out this hoe-down:



And in Ebook news...

In honey bee news, the electromagnetic waves emitted by cell phone towers seem to pose a threat to honey bees.

I've mentioned giving up my seat to pregnant women on the PATH at least 3 times a week. Well it turns out, Lynn Harris wrote a piece about pregnant women having trouble finding a seat on the subway.

Hope you have a great day...

Instead of parking tickets, hoboken parking officials are now leaving stale bread.

I'd Like To Solve The Puzzle...

This clip says it all.

Have You Seen My Umbrella?

My umbrella has gone missing. Well, one of them. Standing at about a foot and a half long with a black hooked handle, slightly worn. If you see it please let me know. I had a somewhat pleasant stroll to work in the rain this morning. Luckily it wasn't a NYC downpour, just a light drizzle. I'm glad the weekend is almost here, although I will be up early on Sunday to help move anxious freshmen into their dorm. The screaming, the fighting, the crying siblings and mothers, the asking for directions and to watch their car, the frustration, the heat, the rain, the dry erase boards, snacks, drinks, clothes, musty posters and trunks filled, school supplies, the crates and mini-refrigerators. These will all await me when I arrive at around 5:45am...what was I thinking?

I got an email and a voicemail from Jessica yesterday who works at Club H Fitness. I contacted them because I wanted to take a tour of their facilities but more so, to find out what their membership fees are. Now when a place will not give you the fees over the phone, a red flag goes up. Too expensive. Jessica mentioned that they do not give the fees out over the phone and that I should come in and meet with her. "better get in soon because a lot of people are taking advantage of the promotion." was another line. I will go in and listen to their presentation and in addition to trying to pry my wallet from my packet they most likely will try to sell me a timeshare. I'm guessing they won't be able to offer me a membership at the price I want but I am looking forward to meeting Jessica.

Well, so much for the KFC secret recipe. We know the secret now. Hey, since when did KFC start selling brownies? Speaking of which...

Jason Biggs is in the news! That's right, your favorite American Pie actor was apparently attacked by an ape. See, James Pattinson isn't the only one who has difficulty with attacking fans.

The Seat Filler

For those of you who don't know, all of the big award shows (Academy Awards, Tonys, etc...) hire "extras" to be seat fillers so when a star gets up to go to the bathroom, you never see empty seats in the camera shots. I have been offered the opportunity to be a seat filler on a few occasions when I was in college but wasn't able to do it either time. I'd love to do it one day, although I really do it on a daily basis.

I have started to notice that there are a lot of pregnant women in Hoboken. Why have I noticed this? Well because just about every other day I give up my seat to a pregnant lady. I have a radar now and I immediately get up and give them a seat. Only once did a woman say no and after we went back and forth she was adamant about standing. So in a way, I am a seat filler. Although I'm saving a seat for two.

And now, the wheelchair from the future....

Oh yeah, because this makes so much sense (cents).

If you are a comedian, of course you are going to use your Mother-in-law in your jokes. It's a given. Well this Mother-in-law isn't going to take it any more. She's suing.

I've heard of a cat lover, but this guy takes it one step further:



I never thought someone would actually write an article about the best way to swat a mosquito, and I was wrong.

According to Jim Brasseur, a fluid dynamics professor at Penn State University, the best approach is to clap or slap from both sides — rather than a swat from one side only.

Thanks Jim. How many hours of research did it take to come up with this?

A NJ man shot his parrot because the bird annoyed the man as he watched a NASCAR race.

Authorities advised the father and his son that if another family pet — a Labrador Retriever — annoys anybody they should call police or the animal control office, reports said.

When asked what he was going to do with the cage he replied, set up a track inside and race my micro machines.

That's budee budee budee..all folks.

It Could Happen To You

I felt like watching this video this morning and so, I am sharing it once again with you:



Do you like to play the Lotto? If so, this is the lucky store where you should pick your next numbers. They have had two jackpots in 8 weeks.

Remember my post about the mall? Well it looks like a pilot crashed landed in the parking lot. Luckily, no one was seriously injured.

Erin, this is for you..I know you won't click on my links unless I explain what they are linking to, so, BABY ANIMALS.

Tired of making breakfast for company. Well, this may just be the solution. The automatic pancake machine will make 200 pancakes per hour. Hope your guests are hungry.

Eeeeeverybody Muuust Turn Riiight....at the liiiiight.

In Salmon news, Salmon have returned to Paris. They left the city after watching The Little Mermaid in 1989. (Can you believe the movie is from '89??) Les Poissons, les poissons, how I love les poissons!

All for now. Busy week.

I'd Rather Be Bitten By A Vampire

Aside from being infamous for its deer, Canadian geese, overpopulation, Psychic fairs and a mention in Seinfeld, Parsippany, NJ doesn't have much going for itself. Growing up there, there was no town, no place for kids to go hang out and meet other kids. Whoever planned the town planned it for corporations and stores and didn't think about the children. I'm sure many of you will say, "But Evan, Parsippany was recently voted one of the best places to live" and to that I say, "yes, that's because there are a lot of jobs in Parsippany, thanks to the massive number of corporations (thanks Pfizer) and stores. Let me get back to why I bring Parsippany up in today's post. And in order to do that, let's play a little game of "Would You Rather."

Would you rather attend the Official Twilight Convention in Parsippany or be bitten by a vampire?

I chose the latter. That's right, the Official Twilight Convention is going to take place in Parsippany, NJ. And wait until you see what's in store. Here's a link to the site.

A sinfully sensational event giving fans the super-rare opportunity to personally meet stars of TWILIGHT including KELLAN LUTZ, ASHLEY GREENE, KIOWA GORDON & CHASKE SPENCER! That's right: guests will appear and be escorted around the room to meet each and every person in attendance! This is going to be awesome! And with fellow fans from around the world you'll enjoy a delicious sumptuous Breakfast as well!

Not interested? Well how about the Saturday Night Vampire Ball:

Fans from around the globe congregate in their finest vampire wear to raise the roof! Prizes for best costume and best dancers!

Here's the perfect way to meet and mingle with fellow fans and also you'll get to personally meet some of our Twilight guests who will be attending the party. A DJ is set, and this party is fine for all ages. Our celebrity guests so far include ASHLEY GREENE, KELLAN LUTZ, KIOWA GORDON & CHASKE SPENCER! This event is included on a complimentary basis for GOLD WEEKEND PATRONS. We had a FEW extra tickets that were available for those who are not Gold Patrons.

What!? No James Patterson...er...Robert Pattinson? Sigh.

I know many people who will read this post and want to go to this thing. I'm staying far away.

Apparently, yesterday was National Go-Topless Day. I had no idea, and apologize. I'm usually so good at keeping me readers abreast of such holidays.

Julie Powell has inspired a whole bunch of new food bloggers, like this guy who is going to try a slice of pizza from every NYC pizza joint.

And now I leave you with a treat. Christopher Nolan's next film...Inception

Delilah! Where Are You?

I still have not heard back from Delilah...she must have her name on Google Alert right? Perhaps she is busy traveling the world this summer bringing food and water to those in need and soothing them with her voice. "Evan's feeling down so let's cheer him up" she'd say and then play "Build Me Up Buttercup".

I hope you had a great weekend. I finally got around to seeing 500 Days of Summer this weekend and I am still thinking about it. First of all, it has a killer soundtrack (yes, I just used the word "killer") and it's a story about love that we can all relate to in one way or another. It's very clever too, and there are some brilliant scenes. I was a little disappointed with the dialogue at the end but I'm not getting into that because I really liked the movie.

Annie Leibovitz is currently facing a financial crisis. She not only risks losing her photo archives, which The New York Times estimates could be worth 50 million dollars, but also her house in the trendy Greenwich Village district of Manhattan and a second home outside the city.

Here's a way to avoid flying commercial airlines and saving some money.

Still planning on taking that last minute vacation before the summer is over? Well why not check out some of the world's weirdest hotels.

Short post today!

Special Addition

This is just to ridiculous not to post. Sometimes when a girl gives you her business card and says to call, she's just being polite. Well Demitri has taken it too far. Take a listen here.

In the Year 2009...Soda Machines Will Be AWESOME

Maybe I'm just behind but I heard about these new soda machines (thanks Debra) where you can choose from hundreds of different Coca-Cola soda and even taste flavors that are not available in stores such as Orange Diet Coke or Peach Fanta..don't cha wanna? Here is an excellent video demonstration of the new machines:



Some riders on the L train had quite a surprise when all of a sudden a nude photo shoot took place. An older gentleman even got the shakes.

And while we are on the subject of nudity and trains, Screech was spotted on the N train. Watch out ladies.

Strange sea creature in Florida, oh come on.

You asked for it, more photomanipulations!

The Cove is supposed to be an amazing film which I am very much looking forward to seeing.

Okay, I have to admit that I really want to go to Disney Land. I went once as a kid but especially want to go back after seeing this:

Home Movies At DisneyLand - 1956 from Jeff Altman on Vimeo.

Have a great weekend!

Tick Tick Tick Tick...

The infamous sound of the clicking timer on Sunday evenings. Andy Rooney complaining about cereal packaging and pencil sharpeners, stories from around the globe and don't forget Mike Wallace. Don Hewitt was the man behind this long running news program and sadly he passed away yesterday at the age of 86. I had the opportunity to speak with Mr. Hewitt on the phone a few times a little over a year ago and you could just hear the passion and verve within this man. He was funny, smart and to the point. I had saved one of the messages he left for me but noticed it had been deleted recently. He will be missed by many in the biz as they say.

I don't mind a hot day, but when you couple the heat with this humidity and unbreathable air and smell of urine, it's disgusting. Again, where are you Fall? Peeking around the corner.

Virginia Davis, Disney Studios' first star has also passed away.

Werner Herzog and David Lynch teamed up and My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done was Born:



Erin loves fawning over photos of baby animals. "I want one of those" she'll say to which I reply, "Erin, that's a baby hippo". Well Erin, this is for you.

"Sir, are those Junior Mints in your glove compartment? Sir, step out of the car. NOW."

The trailer for James Cameron's much anticipated 3-D film, Avatar, will be released today. We'll see if he is still king of the world. I highly doubt it. Does this film have anything to do with Second Life?

I couldn't go to sleep last night so I watched the opening to Late Night With Jimmy Fallon and I'm happy to say that the show has gotten much better. I guess you do have to give these things time and they get better with age. That's all for today. Au revoir!

Penn and Teller

I've been a fan of Penn and Teller for as long as I can remember. I remember my dad taking me to see them live for my birthday as a kid and I got to talk to them after the show. I used to be obsessed with their magic tape, Cruel Tricks For Dear Friends an interactive magic VHS tape with many fun tricks using their pre-recorded material. I would try to develop a patter and then test the tricks on family. They are still at it after all these years and their Showtime show, BS, is very popular. It's good. If you haven't seen it, here's a clip.



I also want to share this great clip of Julia Child on Letterman with an appearance from a leftover cockroach courtesy of Penn and Teller.



Do you like comedy? Well if so, the NY Comedy Festival is right around the corner.

Finally! A solution to the city rat problem. Behold, the giant pitcher plant. Ta-daaaa!

Clementine Lee is back at it!

What would happen if your house was sold without you even knowing it was for sale? That's what happened to one woman in Florida.

And now, I know some of you are cat lovers. You are going to like this:

Since When Is Selling Lemonade A Crime

I used to have a lemonade stand that I would put at the bottom of our driveway as a kid. I made a sign and got my money box and would push my lemonade to anyone who came by. I probably ended up drinking most of the lemonade myself, but it was fun. Kids enjoy making money and it's part of the learning process. I wonder how many kids with lemonade stands are now running their own business. Why all this talk of lemonade? Well because of the incident in Central Park, where a girl and her father were issued a $50 ticket for not having a permit. Good news though, the parks department is ripping up the ticket. They said the agent who issued the ticket was wrong and made a mistake. I think they should make that agent sit in the heat and sell lemonade for a day and give the proceeds to Clementine.

Now here's an important study...40 percent of Twitter messages are "pointless babble".

Yeah, and my cell phone opens my garage door.

Do you like Rock Band? I cannot wait for this!

Bacon Madness...must be the swine flu.

Awhile back I mentioned the Smurfs Movie, well now they are casting! I'm blue mm daba dee ya dabba dee...ah, forget it. Do you fit the part?

Seeking—Sophie: ages 8-10, a girl of great imagination and originality, though always appealing, she is often socially awkward and doesn't fit in with the other kids, she's smart and open, though she can be physically clumsy, when she discovers that the "doll" her father brought home from Belgium is actually a living, breathing Smurf, she takes "Clumsy" in as a member of the family and tries to get the household to embrace him and the rest of the Smurfs; Sam: 13-16 (to play 14-15), Sophie's brother, a good kid, but he's going through that phase where he can be difficult and withdrawn and retreat to his room to play video games, through his involvement in the Smurfs' quest to get home, he reconnects with his parents and sister.

I now leave you with this tres tres apropo clip:

The Bowl Cut

All is took was one slip. There must have been a small patch of soap on my tub when I stepped into the shower a few weeks ago and I thought it was over. I slipped. Luckily, I caught myself before anything bad happened. And so, I am glad to announce that there is no longer any need to worry about my shower safety. This morning, I stepped onto my new tub mat, and my feet were secure. I didn't go slipping and sliding anywhere. Just thought you might want to know.

I always love Monday blogs because so much or so little has happened over the weekend and I usually have more things to write about so that I'm not just throwing links your way. So I had a few observations this weekend and wanted to go over a few of them very briefly.

The first is about people who go to the supermarket and feel a need to start eating food while they shop. During my recent trip to the supermarche, I saw a woman eat an entire bag of potato chips while she was doing her shopping. Was she really that hungry that she couldn't wait until she got home to enjoy the snack? I can understand having a sip from a drink you are buying because you are parched, but opening a pie and eating it while you shop is just not necessary. What is even more disturbing to me are people who start to eat something and then decide for some reason, that they are going to put the open bag or box bag on the shelf. First of all, that's STEALING. And second of all, what the heck are you doing putting this back on the shelf? Think it's funny when the next guy puts that opened bag/box in his cart? Well it's not.

And what's with the deli line? Haven't we figured out a way to make this line move faster? One would have thought the take a number system was the answer. Some delis don't even have numbers. And when you ask me how I'd like the turkey sliced, when I say "somewhat thin" how do you know what number that is on the slicing wheel?

I'm starting to sound like Andy Rooney.

While I'm on a roll, I'm not a fan of the mall but I had to go this weekend to take my laptop to the Apple store. The Apple store is always packed, here I took some video so you could see what I had to fight through in order to get to the genius bar:



One of the first things I noticed at the mall were these television monitors throughout the mall that had news updates and advertisements and trivia...wait. What? I stopped and saw one monitor had "Alcoholic Trivia" where they listed a drink and it was asking to choose which alcohol was not in the drink.

I would also like to add that memories came flooding back when I walked by this place where I got my first haircut. I grew up with curly hair and despite my mom always telling me that it was good to be different and look different, I always wanted to have straight hair and be able to get my hair cut so that it looked different. This was not an easy task. So one year, I told my mom I wanted to get this ridiculous bowl cut that everyone in my class had. Of course, everyone had straight hair so when I came out, I literally looked like I had a bowl on my head. The haircut almost ended my parents' marriage. Dad had a fit. Oh how I wish I had a photo on this computer so I could post it. You'll just have to use your imagination.

I have mentioned that I am looking forward to the Fall. Well here's an article with a theory on why more autumn leaves are red in America and yellow in Europe. And for you wiseguys, it's not because they are "Euro-pee-in"

I never really watched Star Trek so when I came across this video I was surprised to see what I have been missing all of these years:

Un Chapeau

Hats. We wear them, they protect us from the sun. Provide shade. They promote our favorite teams or vacation destinations. Some are fitted, some aren't. The reason I bring up hats is because of Nisenson The Hatter, one of the most well known hatters in Newark and yes, a relative. My mom actually found a Nisenson hat box which rests in my parents house and I bought my dad a Nisenson hat off of Ebay a few years back. There is very little information online about Nisenson The Hatter. I found myself searching last night to see what I could dig up and all I really came up with was an article printed in The Star Ledger in 1997.

At just this moment, Nisenson's hat shop, the oldest retail business in Newark, is about to make a sale. Nisenson is actually Arthur Nisenson of Bloomfield, the 50-year-old great-grandson of the orginal hatter. His store has stood on Williams Street for 109 years.The customer is Ronald Coleman of Irvington, who is casually dressed and wearing a baseball cap. Except for the sales help, he is the only person in the store. Eyeing rows of hats, Coleman, 47, a Nisenson's customer since for 30 years, stands beneath a row of photographs of Woodrow Wilson, Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, Frank Sinatra and others famous clientele. He is not sure what to get.

Then he selects one, asking general manager Derek Raines what it's called.

"It's a seagrass straw pith helmet," Raines says. Coleman tries it on and likes what he sees. He buys it.

He puts his baseball cap in the Nisenson's bag and leaves proudly in the new hat. That's what a $25 straw safari hat can do.

The Quest For Delilah continues...today is Day Two of my quest to get an interview with radio personality Delilah. I found out that her full name is Delilah Rene Luke (born February 15, 1960 in Reedsport, Oregon..Boaz, do you know her?). Delilah will listen to callers stories and then usually pick a song to match their feeling. Sally, here's a little Sade for your sadness.

Delilah is a single mother of ten children, 7 of whom are adopted. She is a public advocate of adoption. Her on-air persona is said to be remarkably identical to her real personality. Because of her personal experience with the foster care system, Delilah has established a foundation called Point Hope as a voice for forgotten children everywhere. Point Hope's immediate focus is on alleviating the suffering of Liberian refugees who are camped at Buduburam, a refugee camp that was established in Ghana following the Liberian civil war.

Delilah, I'm looking forward to interviewing you for this blog. Thanks!

Remember Damon Weaver? He was the eleven-year-old who was trying to score an interview with Obama. Well, he finally did it! Way to go Damon.



Here are some photos that prove that decay can in fact be beautiful.

Check out this rare gene! I'm pretty sure I don't have this one.

We're Off To See The Wizard...No, You're Not On The Guest List

Are you a Wizard of Oz fan? I really want to get on this invite list.

The festivities will commence on Thursday, September 24, with the Emerald Gala, a glorious event at Manhattan's historic Tavern on the Green, hosted by its owner and CEO Jennifer Oz LeRoy, granddaughter of The Wizard of Oz producer Mervyn LeRoy. The entire restaurant and surrounding grounds will transform for a night into the Emerald City, replete with a winding Yellow Brick Road. The Emerald Gala will feature a musical performance by Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter and actress Ashanti, who recently made her theatrical debut as Dorothy in the City Center Encores! production of The Wiz. In addition, Lorna Luft, the daughter of Judy Garland will honor her mother's legacy with a special musical tribute.

Also contributing to the grand affair will be a rare appearance by five of the original actors who played the "Munchkins" characters in 1939's The Wizard of Oz, along with members of the cast of The Wizard of Oz National Tour performing acts from the traveling show.


Rumor has it they are recreating a field of poppies in the Tavern. Okay, I just made that up but really, how cool would that be?

In toy news, here's a doll that, well just take a look:



Like bacon? The Royal Bacon Society is your one shop stop for everything bacon. So sit back, relax and have a bottle of bacon beer.

Want to do some traveling? Why not take advantage of Jet Blue's $599 pass for unlimited flights for a month? I'm sure it's hassle-free and that you can get on any flight you want...not.

For all you photographers out there, here are five great flash techniques! Enjoy.

My favorite radio personality, Delilah came up in conversation yesterday so I've decided, in true Letterman fashion, that I am going to start a quest to get an interview with Delilah for this blog. I want to interview her over the phone and post the podcast here. Place your bets on whether or not I can pull this off. And Delilah, if you happen to be reading this, please contact me! The Quest for Delilah has officially begun. Sound the noisemakers! I guess I need to find out her last name before I interview her. Or does she just have the one name like Cher?


In legume news, someone is stealing cucumbers (oh and as a side note, did you know that cucumber seeds cause you to burp? And that's why there are burp-less cucumbers.) So let's see. If I were assigned to this case I would seek a burping bandit.

Aaand that's my cue to end today's post. Grab your umbrella..ella..ella...that never gets old. Actually, it does. Have a good day :-)

The Time Traveler's Wife

The Time Traveler’s Wife, the new film adaptation of the novel by Audrey Niffenegger, is a beautiful love story that proves that one can indeed fall in love with a time traveler. We have always been fascinated with the idea of transporting through time. It’s an idea that has been played out over and over again in television, film, novel and song.

I went into this film not having read the book and thus, not knowing anything about the plot, well except that it was about a time traveler and his wife.

Clare (Rachel McAdams) has been in love with Henry (Eric Bana) her entire life. She believes they are destined to be together, even though she never knows when they will be separated. Henry, if you haven’t guessed already, is a time traveler with some rare genetic anomaly that causes him to live his life on a shifting timeline, skipping back and forth through the years with no control. Despite the fact that Henry’s travels force them apart with no warning, and never knowing when they will be reunited, Clare desperately tries to build a life with her one true love.

Sounds romantic, doesn’t it? Well it is, and there are many wonderfully touching moments in this film that deal with love, loss and family. Some will come out of this film saying “that was cheesy” but it’s actually one of the better romantic/sci-fi-ish films I’ve seen in recent months. I was expecting to hear a lot of sniffling and bawling at the end of this movie but to my surprise, there wasn't much. And here's my theory why (it also happens to be something I didn't like about the story).

Halfway through the movie we, the audience, are told that something bad is going to happen and so I found myself just spending the rest of the film waiting and waiting for it to happen and then it finally does and the movie is over. I like some aspect of surprise. A twist or turn. We don't really get much of that in this film. It's a waiting game. The other thing that I found repetitive about this film is the time traveling. After awhile I had enough of seeing him disappear, leaving behind his clothes and then showing up someplace naked having to steal clothes. I wasn't sure how I felt about the special effects used to make Henry disappear but after thinking about it, I think they made an excellent choice. You really get the feeling that he has no control over his traveling. That it is in control of him. The visual look is as though he is sand dissolving through an hour glass.

Rachel McAdams and Eric Bana have excellent chemistry although at times I questioned Eric Bana's acting. Wait, I'm not watching The Hulk, he's not going to get mad he's just a time traveler.

If you're looking for something romantic to take your significant other to, I recommend this film. It's really not half bad.

Time Traveling

I will be going to see a screening of The Time Traveler's Wife tonight so stay tuned for a review tomorrow. I am going into the movie with very little knowledge of the story/book which is what I prefer when I aim to review a film. This way I can't tell you that the book was so much better. It forces me to look at the film on it's own rather than as an adaptation if that makes sense.

The air quality was so bad last night I thought people would start passing out on the sidewalk. Luckily, the gym was air conditioned and completely empty. I watched a really interesting special on the Food Network about well, the success of the Food Network. How they strategized and made it the popular station it is today. I never really thought about the preparation that goes into the cooking shows. It's really incredible to hear about all the people behind the scenes of a show like that from the people who cook the food for the show to the people who make sure the food looks good on camera. They said that they learned that viewers love seeing a full television screen of food and they have special cameras that are only used for these extreme food close-ups.

Like strange things? Well then you'll like these photos.

I don't know why I keep on coming back to the subject of urine lately, but I have to share this.

We love Netflix. Everyone carries the little red envelopes with them in the morning and drops them off in the mailbox. But what goes on behind the scenes at Netflix? Here are some photos that help solve the mystery.

Uh oh, Spiderman The Musical is caught in a web.

That's all she wrote. Stay cool and classy.

HA HA

Ladies and gentlemen, all the way from Hoboken, NJ let's give it up for Evannnnn...

Thank you, thank you, and thank youuuuu. It's great to be back from vacation and I'm looking forward to some excellent posts. You'd be surprised to learn that in all my years in NYC, I have never been to the Gotham Comedy Club, well until last night. I was invited to attend a live taping for Comedy Central and it was a lot of fun. The night was hosted by Paul F. Tompkins and featured a number of decent comics. As with any live taping, they tell you that for three hours, you will not be able to get up to go to the bathroom. This always creates a problem for me. When someone tells me I can't go to the bathroom I immediately think I have to go when in fact I don't. Anyway, let's move on from urine talk and take a look at some fun stuff!

Like biking and cities? Well then you have to check out the top 10 urban biking trips!

Looks like "Fail" is going from verb to interjection. Fail.

Ladies, put down the mace. All you need is a can of peas and a sock.

Albert, so good to see you again...



Have you seen the trailer for Terry Gilliam's new film, Mr. Magoriums...no, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus? Great actors, looks very interesting.



I was away for World Breastfeeding Week, but I hope you enjoyed the festivities.

On that, note...have a great day!

Back to Business

Yes it's true, I am back from my Vermont getaway which really flew by, wow. I had a great time and I am going to try to make more weekend trips there when possible because it's an easy ride and just so beautiful. Being able to take your bike up the road and ride against a country backdrop is just so refreshing. I really like our road. Excellent biking and hiking, blueberry and raspberry farms in the summer, apple orchard in the fall, the Wilson House, quaint church, horses, mountains, a brook running along the road, and much more. I always experience a little bit of shock once I get back to NJ and then into the city. Going from one extreme to another in a matter of hours.

So now I'm in my apartment and Hoboken is buzzing because of the deadly crash that took place over the Hudson river. Rescue crews are searching the waters this morning. What a horrible tragedy. People are hovering inside and outside the bakery hoping to meet Buddy, and I'm taking a walk to see what's new since I left this place. Many people have told me I had to try this Bagel Smashery. That's right, if you so choose you can have your bagel or potato smashed. Gimicky? Why of course. The place is usually closed but it was open today and since I've been trying to be better at eating breakfast (ahem) I decided to see what the fuss was about. Ever since I have heard about the Bagel Smashery, I have had images of guys in the back with huge sledgehammers, a la Gallagher, taking my egg sandwich and slamming it with the sledgehammer. Unfortunately, this is not the case and it's not really much of a show. It's a tiny little place, about 150 degrees and there's barely any place to stand when you wait for your order. I was basically smashed up against the hot coffee machines. A few minutes later they called my name and handed me a piping hot egg sandwich and yes, it was smashed. I should also mention that you don't have to have your bagel smashed for those of you who aren't into this sort of thing. So basically, what you come away with once the sandwich is smashed is a panini. A breakfast panini.

I'm very much looking forward to my Sunday and then hi-ho, it's off to work I go.

Farmers Market

I'm dedicating today's post to the Farmers Market. Most towns and cities have them, vendors bring their fresh produce and set up next to each other. Shoppers come and buy the fresh produce and listen to live music. Sounds great doesn't it? Here's the thing I don't like about the Farmers Market. I always feel like I have to buy something from people especially if I'm walking by and they start pushing their homemade soap, jam, balsamic vinegar, etc... I can't tell you how many times I have bought the homemade coconut soap. The guy is really nice, a great salesman and the soap is great. Some of the vendor tents are filled with people while other vendors don't do much business. And now a story about my dad and the Farmers Market.

I was walking in the middle of the path through the market yesterday trying not to get too close to any one vendor. My dad then stopped me in front of a bread vendor and asked me if I could buy him some bread. Why did he want me to buy the bread? Well, because he is friendly with the other bread guy who was across the way but he doesn't like the guy's bread. My dad didn't want the other baker to see him buying another person's bread so I was to do the doughy deed. Since when is buying another person's bread a crime? The woman was very nice and said that her husband makes the bread and then pointed to an article about him from some magazine. Deal was done, end of story.

What happens when a colony of ants is faced with a flood? They build a lifeboat of course!



ooooh...touchable holography? With Wii remotes?



My pal Paul Giamatti is frustrated. He looked happy to me though.

Just when you thought it was safe to go onto the nude beaches...

Of course, I leave the city and THEN they hold auditions for NYC Transit announcers. I can't believe I missed this. mmmmm...ahem.. Stand Clear of the Closing...let me try that again..ahem..Stand Clear of the Closing Doors Please...

We are headed to Saratoga to the races today. Should be fun and maybe, just maybe I'll win something. It's all in the name.

Blue Skies Smiling At Me

Before I mention anything else today, I'd like to start off with this study. Apparently men who do housework and take care of children are more likely to get the girl. So my question is this: I do housework and I love kids. Sooo, what's the problem? Okay, I'm just kidding. But I am curious to know how accurate this study is.

I guess it's the point in this blog where I give you a brief recap of my adventures in Vermont. It was really cool last night, with a mountain breeze and a full moon shining bright, casting mountain shadows in the fields and meadows. We were invited over for dinner at Pam and Geoffs for a great summer meal topped off with a homemade bluberry dessert made with blueberries we picked the other day. Before dinner, my dad and I went for a great bike ride loop up and down Mad Tom Road and around past the Vermont Horse Show and then back up Mad Tom Road. Today, we're going to do another ride and perhaps take kayaks out on Emerald Lake. The Manchester farmer's market is today so we will be sure to stop off there for some local produce. Eh, it sounds like I'm being paid by the Vermont Tourism Board, but I swear I'm not.

A horse is a horse...of course, of course:



Here are some weird facts that you probably didn't know such as:

The top of the Eiffel Tower leans away from the sun - it can move as much as 18cm, as the metal on the side facing the sun expands in the heat. It can also get as much as 15cm taller when the weather's hot.

I enjoy a good original funny song...thanks to our reader Leigh for sending it in :-)

Summer Lovin'

There is nothing quite like Summer in Vermont. I know, you're probably rolling your eyes thinking, "Here he goes again, blabbing about Vermont and how great it is while I'm sitting here at my desk at work" but try and think about it this way instead: "Wow, I love it when Evan tells us about Vermont because it feels like I'm there with him and I can daydream as I sit here at my desk at work". See, much better.

In the few days I've been here I have noticed that the weather has greatly affected the crops. Everything is much later than it usually is. Lack of sun and lots of rain will do this. I was just glad to see that the blueberries have made it through the weather although they are in need of more sun. I went blueberry picking the other day and it is one of my favorite things to do. It's the most beautiful spot and you can walk far away from other people and pick on your own. It's hard to fill an entire bucket when you are taking photos and eating some blueberries as you pick.We managed to pick 10 pounds and they are delicious. My dad also planted emergency blueberry bushes on top of our hill by the vegetable garden just in case we run out and need to pick some for pancakes or cereal. How convenient!

I stopped off at a farm stand yesterday to buy corn and remembered that at the gym I recently saw someone on the Food Network make creamed corn recipe but there was no milk or cream. Really? Yes! They cut of the very tips of the kernels and then scraped the rest of the corn with the other side of the knife to extract the corn milk (starch) and that is what was used to thicken the creamed corn. I had no idea. I still just like my corn on the cob and even better, grilled corn on the cob. And while we're on the subject of corn...

For any photographers out there wanting to photograph lightning, here's how!

Remeber slip and slide? You run, you slide, you hit the bump and take a dive..or was that Crocodile Mile? Well here's a really long Slip-and-Slide.

By now you've probably Mad Men'd Yourself. But have you cast Sesame Street characters for the Mad Men Parody that is in the works?

Jerry Who?

Since I was a kid, I have always loved going to the supermarket and doing the food shopping. There is just something about the supermarket that I have always and will always love. So even today, in Vermont, I jump at the chance to "go into town" and get food for dinner. It has made me think about why I like the supermarket so much and I think it has to do with my love of cooking. So much possibility exists at a food store. You can put together most any meal with the ingredients all confined in this one building. Exciting, no? I know plenty of people who hate to go food shopping, they despise it. The other reason I like food shopping is the scene. Squeezing fruit, calling out numbers, complaining, the pharmacist, cleanup in aisle 6,the announcements,the shopping cart, and overheard conversations. Which brings me to the conversation I witnessed last night at Shaws.

The guy in front of me was getting ready to pay for his few items and the checkout guy turns to him:

Checkout man: Do you have a house at Stratton?
Customer: No
Checkout man: Really? You look so familiar.
Customer: Yeah, I've been told I have a familiar face.
Checkout man: Wait, are you Jerry Vale?
Customer: The singer?
Checkout man: Yes.
Customer: No, is he even alive?
Checkout man: I'm not sure. The last time I saw him was on The Ed Sullivan Show.

Since I didn't know who Jerry Vale is, I looked him up and put his photo at the start of today's entry. And yes, according to Wikipedia he is still alive.

It was my turn to step up to the Checkout man and surprise, surprise I turn to him and say "So, who do I look like". He ponders for a minute and then immediately says, "Albert Brooks". Which is funny because not only am I a huge fan of Albert Brooks, but when I worked for Letterman, his assistant used to tell me that Dave called me Albert Brooks. It's all fun and games until someone loses an eye. After this encounter I wondered if this checkout guy had this shtick as a way to strike up conversations with people. The old, aren't you... Hey, aren't you Debbie from High School high, remember me? Rick? Sorry, you look just like my high school girlfriend. Wanna grab a drink?

I am currently sitting by the window looking out at the sun-drenched mountains protecting the meadows below. I can see how writers sometimes need to get away from the hustle and bustle and write in a place of beauty. I have already taken a bunch of photos and am looking forward to taking more. Friday we are heading to Saratoga to go to the races so that will be a lot of fun. Lots of walking, bike riding and blueberry picking to come. Stay tuned.

done with the fair. Now on the farm